Breaking the Surface
by wallscollide
Summary: Post-03x14 - "Under Water." AU. Callie is not coping well in the aftermath of Stef's news. Only two people have any chance at reaching her.
1. Part 1

**A/N:** Purging my emotions with this one. "Under Water" really got to me and that doesn't happen to me often with TV shows; it was so raw. The Stef/Lena stuff and breaking the news to the kids was so emotional. I know Callie's not the only kid in the family who's reeling from being told about Stef's illness. Her character is easy for me to tap in to. And I don't care if this isn't canon or realistic, I wrote this for me. I just had to. I felt _so_ much better afterward.

"Where Are Ü Now" by Jack Ü with Justin Bieber was the soundtrack to writing this. Literally for hours on repeat. I needed something sad and I don't know...the emotion, desperation, sense of loss and abandonment conveyed just worked for me and kept me in the headspace needed to write this. Keep that in mind while reading this.

This is AU because I changed events that happened in the show or deleted some entirely (like Brallie).

I don't own _The Fosters_.

I wanted to get this out to you guys ASAP. I hope you like it.

This is entirely from Callie's point of view.

* * *

 **Part 1**

I can't sleep.

 _I can't sleep._

I've committed practically every inch of my bedroom ceiling to memory by now.

It's been three days.

Three days since Stef, Lena, and Grandma Sharon sat us all down and told us about Stef's cancer scare and her decision to have preventative surgery.

I've slept a handful of hours since.

I roll over and check the time on my phone. _4:12 AM_. My alarm is set for 7.

Frustrated, I sigh, louder than I meant to. I instantly cover my mouth.

Mariana stirs and makes little noise, but doesn't wake up.

At least _one_ of us is asleep.

My brain won't fucking turn off.

I can't stop thinking about it.

I knew that when they sat us all down it was bad news.

Still, I couldn't prepare myself for it. That'd be impossible. There's no 'softening the blow.'

I can't help but feel like I should've seen this coming.

 _God, why didn't I see this coming?_

Things were going too well.

Things don't ever go well for me.

And I _still_ get my hopes up.

I tell myself, ' _Maybe things will be different this time._ '

I _still_ put myself through this.

And then I'm just hurt as life fucks me over yet again.

Normally, I'd go downstairs, but I don't want anyone to find me.

I can't be seen like this.

There's no telling how I'd react if Stef or Lena and I were alone together.

I'm not ready for that. Not yet.

So, I roll over to stare at the wall. My body will inevitably succumb to rest.

 _[][][][][][]_

And so it did.

I roll over to turn off my alarm.

I suppress a groan, even though I don't know why I bother.

I'm not exactly hiding anything or even trying to.

What's the point? I'm not the only one who's stressed and freaking out.

Everyone's on edge, reeling, emotional over this.

But, maybe I should hide.

An enticing idea.

Moms don't need to worry about us on top of everything else.

But, I can't be selfish, either.

I'm not the only kid in this house. The other four are just as upset as I am.

For Brandon and the twins, maybe even more so. Stef's been in their lives for way longer than mine and Jude's, and she's Brandon's mom, for God's sake.

Ugh. It's too early for this.

I try my hardest to push these thoughts out of my head and get up to get ready for school.

Not that it's helping distract me. I wish it was. I wish it _was_ helping.

I feel like a zombie as I go into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

My body aches with exhaustion. My head is killing me.

"You know that's Mariana's, right?"

It takes a few seconds for Jude's words to register in my brain.

I'm being spoken to.

"Oh," is all I say, looking down at the toothbrush in my hand.

I swap hers for mine and get dressed afterward.

I go to the kitchen in the most relaxed posture possible (which I'm sure isn't much).

I'm not hiding and yet, I'm _still_ trying to hide.

"Morning, Cal," Stef greets me in that knowing tone.

She knows that I'm not sleeping.

I don't have to tell her anything.

She can read me like no one else can.

Right now, I hate it. Even though it's irrational because I'm not hiding or putting on a mask.

It's too much work right now.

I can't fight off the tension that overcomes me at the sound of her voice. My neck stiffens and I barely withstand the urge to clench my fists as I reach for the box of cereal. "Hey." I flick my eyes toward her in acknowledgement, no matter how small.

 _Everything_ feels like too much right now.

We're all practically silent. This never happens. This room is usually an epicenter of craziness, even at this time of day. Not hard to believe with a family of seven.

I don't bother pouring milk. It'd just be a waste.

I eat my cereal dry.

I feel sick. My stomach aches.

Anxiety cripples my insides.

I quickly give up on eating.

"Callie, you need to eat something," Lena sighs.

I just don't have any fight in me.

I have a few mouthfuls of Raisin Bran and get up from the table to grab my bag.

"I'm driving today," Brandon tells me.

"I'll walk."

I need to get out of here, away.

The walk to school will do me good.

It will give me time to pull myself together.

If anyone bids me farewell as I leave, I don't hear it.

' _Fuck!_ ' I chide myself mentally.

I have a huge test in Chemistry, that due to my current state, I completely forgot about.

Well, chalk this one up as a definite fail.

When it comes time to take it, I barely even look at it.

If my head could possibly hurt any worse, it does now.

I fill in my name and try to answer exactly two questions before giving up.

I just can't care about this.

When the tests are all collected, Mrs. Rollins doesn't notice mine.

I'm relieved. I just want to forget all about this.

Somehow, I make it through the school day intact.

I decide to ride home with everyone else. I don't feel like walking home.

Once we get there, I go straight upstairs to my room and lie down.

To my surprise, I fall asleep easily.

The next thing I know, I'm being prodded awake.

I groan. My headache has decided to stick around. _Joy._

"What?" I slur.

"Mama wants everyone downstairs for dinner," Mariana tells me.

"Tell her I'm asleep."

"She figured you would be and said to make you get up anyway."

I groan. "Fine."

My body feels heavy as I rise from my bed and join everyone in the kitchen. I take my usual seat at the table next to Stef.

I still can't eat. I give a pleading look to Lena.

 _Please. I can't do this._

Everything hurts.

I'm treading serious water right now.

I can't do this.

I'm drowning.

Utterly, hopelessly drowning.

 _[][][][][][]_

The next day, it's Saturday.

I finally slept, if only due to complete exhaustion.

After all, a body can only take so much.

Ten straight hours. For ten straight hours, I was dead to the world.

The weather is awful. It's raining.

Fitting.

I'm watching it fall outside my window.

Suddenly, I get up and pull on sneakers, track pants, and a hoodie.

"I'm going for a run!" I yell out and don't wait for a response as I close the front door behind me.

So, I run. I run like my life depends on it. I don't hear anything except for my feet pounding the wet pavement and the pulse of blood rushing through me.

It's like I can't register fatigue or pain. I go for so long that I make it all the way to my favorite park bench without stopping.

I bend over, catching my breath. When I come up for air, I take in my surroundings.

The park's deserted. I look at the bench.

The wood is saturated, as is everything else. I sit anyway.

I swing my legs up and over, wrapping my arms around them.

All I can hear is the rain falling around me.

Soon, however, my hoodie soaks through. The sweat on my skin only chills me further.

I don't mind. It feels good.

The cold is comforting.

I don't want to think.

I don't want to feel.

I close my eyes.

"Callie!"

I blink, thinking that I just imagined hearing my name.

"Callie!"

There it is again.

Someone's walking toward me.

It's Stef.

* * *

 **A/N:** There is a second part to this. This ended up being way longer than I anticipated, so I split it in two and figured this was a good place to stop. I will post it soon. Let me know what you guys think! You demand, I supply! ;)


	2. Part 2

**A/N:** _You guys!_ Wow! I am absolutely floored by the response I've gotten from everyone. It's still crazy to me that other people actually like what I write. I appreciate every review/follow/favorite/hit so much, more than you know.

Here's the other "half" of this, so to speak. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **Part 2**

Stef looks nothing short of pissed. Her stare is burning a hole right through me.

"What the hell are you doing out here?"

"I said I was going for a run."

I'm pretty sure that's the longest sentence I've uttered in days.

"Well, your run's over. Let's go."

I get up from the bench, but I go in the opposite direction of where Stef's SUV is parked.

"Callie, what are you doing?"

I ignore her and focus on walking.

"Callie, I'm not gonna chase you," she sighs, obviously frustrated.

"Good. Makes your job easy, then. Just tell Lena you couldn't find me."

"Callie, come on."

She's right behind me.

"I thought you weren't gonna chase me?"

"This is ridiculous. You're soaking wet and probably freezing."

"Actually, I'm fine." I _am_ cold and clearly shivering, but I'm not about to admit it or show that it's getting to me.

"Callie, seriously—"

I feel Stef touch my arm in an attempt to pull me back toward her.

I feel a flush of heat start in my chest and quickly radiate out to my limbs. "Keep your hands off of me!" I yell, spinning around to face her. My hands are clenched into fists. The hair on the back of my neck is standing up. I am utterly incensed. "Just leave me alone!"

"I can't do that!" Stef counters, digging her heels in just as much as I am.

I push and she pushes right back.

"Give it a try, you might like it. Things'll be easier that way."

 _Run._

 _Get out of there._

But, I can't will myself to do it. What's wrong with me?

What's stopping me?

Nothing ever stopped me before.

"Easier? Callie, absolutely nothing about this is easy."

"You don't think I know that?" I spit back.

Nothing has been easy since I was ten.

When my world crumbled, save for Jude.

"You don't think I feel bad that you're out here? That I'm making this about me when you're the one who's sick?"

 _Shit._ I've already said too much. I turn away.

"It's okay to be upset. To be mad or whatever it is that you're feeling."

"You don't know what I feel," I hear myself say, but I know it's not true.

I'm an open book at this point. More exposed than ever.

Anger, sadness, fear, no, _terror_. Frustration.

"You know that's not true," Stef says, as if she can read my thoughts. "You haven't exactly been a blank slate lately."

"So, what?"

"You can't shut us out, Callie. You need us and we need you. _I_ need you. I can't do this without my _entire_ family."

It's like I have no control over my tongue. My filter is gone.

"She should've left me," I mumble, letting my head bow and my shoulders slump.

"What?"

"Lena should've never taken me in."

"Callie, don't say that. We would've never met you or your brother. You completed us. I don't regret it for one second and neither should you."

"It'd be easier."

"What would be, love?" Stef's voice has softened, and damn her, it's softening my heart.

I swallow. "This," I whisper.

"Dealing with this? My illness?"

"We wouldn't be attached and..."

"You wouldn't be hurting." Stef finishes my thought.

I can't swallow past the lump in my throat. I nod vigorously.

" _Callie_." Her heart is breaking for me.

"I'm sorry," I croak. "I shouldn't be doing this."

"What? Feeling? Being human?"

She's exactly right, but I don't give her confirmation. "Worrying you. Scaring you. You have enough on your plate to deal with." Also true.

"I'm your mom. I'm always gonna worry about you, as I do all five of you. And right now, I'm worried that cancer won't have the chance to kill me as we're both gonna catch our death if we don't get out of this rain."

I suddenly remember that every inch of me feels like it's encased in ice. My nose is running. I'm shivering non-stop.

This doesn't feel good anymore. It feels awful. I feel it draining what little strength I have left.

Slowly, I turn around.

Stef comes to me and leads me to the car.

Before we arrive at home, she calls ahead and has Lena leave dry towels by the front door. When we get there, Stef makes me strip off my clothes so I don't track water through the house. We leave them on the porch.

She follows me upstairs and turns on the shower. She puts the thermometer in my ear and takes my temperature. 97 flat.

No wonder I'm freezing.

I continue to shiver even while under the hot spray.

When I get out, I see that she left me a change of clothes. I quickly put them on and don't hesitate to burrow under a heap of blankets in my bed.

I'm still shaking, chattering. I can't get warm.

At some point, however, I fall asleep.

I dream of everything. Every event comes and goes in a flash.

 _Making biscuits and gravy with Mom on Sunday morning. Her and Dad bringing Jude home from the hospital. Her reading_ Hansel and Gretel _. Watching_ The Little Mermaid _._

 _My world is shattered. Mom's dead. Dad's in jail. I destroy my room._

 _I clasp her necklace under my hair with shaking hands._

 ** _"You're not gonna split us up, are you? 'Cause I won't leave my brother."_**

 ** _"We're not gonna separate you, I promise. We're gonna keep you together until we can find a home for you both."_**

 _Foster Home #1. I learn quickly never to ask for anything. It's pointless. I'm a monthly check and nothing more._

 _#2. I take my first beating for Jude. It wouldn't be the last._

 _#3. Three hours in a closet for dropping a soapy dish on the kitchen tile._

 _#4. Too many kids. There's never a moment's peace. Close to eight months of perpetual sleep deprivation. My stomach aches with hunger. I gave Jude half of my meager meal. He needs it._

 _#5. For the first time since I was ten, I sort of feel like part of a family. I like the attention Liam gives me, until it becomes unwanted. He didn't listen to me. From then on, I brush him off. According to him and as far as his parents are concerned, I came on to_ him _. The next day, Jude and I are sent packing._

 _#6. Jim's car is destroyed. I'm being led away in handcuffs. The cops did not care one ounce about my side of the story._

 _Three months in juvie. I don't get much sleep here, either. Always having to watch my back. Daphne and few others beat me up the day of my release._

 _When I get out, I'm desperate to talk to Jude. David couldn't care less. Where's Bill? Why isn't he here?_

 _He leads me to a woman in the parking lot._

 ** _"Callie, this is Lena."_**

 ** _"It's just for a few weeks, right?"_**

 _Weeks turn into months, to a year._

 _Lena's lasagna. Meeting Jesus, Mariana, Brandon, and Stef. Ground rules. The first night. The next morning._

 _That's still the only cup of coffee they've let me drink._

 _A new school on the beach. The music room. English with Timothy._

 _Ditching after seventh period. Brandon tags along, despite my protests._

 _He listens to me when I tell him about Jim._

 _He helps me rescue Jude from that God-awful house._

 _Stef and Mike, her ex-husband and Brandon's dad, burst in, saving the day._

 ** _"You're not disposable, Callie. You're not worthless."_**

 _All I can do is stare, internalizing those words._

 _Falsely accused of selling Jesus' meds. Mariana and I butt heads._

 ** _"We feel that trust is something that needs to be earned, yeah?"_**

 ** _"We would really like to start earning yours."_**

 _Jude and I sort of settle in to a routine._

 _Meeting Gram. Mariana's quinceañera. Jude and I watch their slideshow. On the outside looking in._

 _Stef and Lena giving me a cell phone._

 ** _"You're on the family plan now."_**

 _Getting a drunken Mariana home in one piece._

 _Telling Brandon about Liam. Sharing in group and trying to help Sarah._

 _Telling Stef and Lena about Liam later that night. They listen and believe me._

 _Stef gets shot while looking for Jesus, who'd been with his birth mom, Ana._

 _I tell Brandon some hard truths that he needs to hear. Family is everything._

 _I have my day in court with Liam. It doesn't go my way, but I have my integrity and the truth._

 ** _"Callie, are you okay with us going on with the wedding?"_**

 ** _"Yeah. It's a good distraction from...everything."_**

 _For once, my opinion mattered._

 _Finally meeting Gramps and Grandma Sharon._

 _Stef and Lena want to adopt us. The others are okay with it. We accept._

 _Their wedding is beautiful. Jude is their ring bearer. Everyone is so happy._

 _Stef makes sure to include Jude and me in the family dance to 'Same Love.'_

 _Growing pains. Jude and I are both adjusting to our new lives._

 _Stef's dad dies, which brings back memories of my mom's death._

 _I lose her necklace and freak out, snapping at Lena. It's a difficult thing for me to talk about. Stef sits me down and lets me cry into her shirt. She reminds me that the memories we carry with us never get lost._

 ** _"It's hard to lose someone you love and you never, ever want to feel that pain again. Now, the problem with that is, the only way to make sure that doesn't happen is you shut yourself off. And if you stop loving, that's no way to live."_**

 _Instead of going to group, I find my dad, Donald, living in a one-bedroom apartment. It turns out he was released from prison last year and didn't tell us._

 _He signs away his parental rights so that we can get adopted. It's bittersweet._

 ** _"Take care of each other."_**

 ** _"We always do."_**

 _I'm supposed to be getting more involved in school because Principal Sanchez submits progress reports to my PO. I'm nominated for Winter Queen as a joke, I'm sure of it. However, with some advice from Lena, I don't take my name off of the ballot._

 ** _"Sometimes, the best way to fight back is to rise above."_**

 _There's a hiccup with my adoption, but Jude's is approved. I'm so happy for him._

 _The courts find my birth father. Stef pulls me out of school to go downtown for a DNA test._

 _Robert Quinn no-shows. Typical._

 _My credits for school are lost. Lena will do what she can, but Jude and I will both be tied down with summer school and an independent study project in order to get caught up academically._

 _After months of meetings with the judge, following his conditions, Robert will retain custody of me._

 _Stef and Lena fight for me. I want to give up so many times, but they don't._

 ** _"The Adams Fosters are my family and nothing's gonna change that."_**

 _Suddenly, he signs the papers, terminating his parental rights._

 _We schedule the next available court date._

 _Jude sneaks out and Connor gets shot at their friend Taylor's house. It scares me to death, giving me nightmares._

 _After months of positive progress reports and good behavior with my PO, I'm finally off of probation._

 _I decide to get a job at a burger place. Guess who works there? Daphne. The girl who instigated my beatdown in juvie. It's rough at first, but we make peace and now we're friends._

 _Ana, Jesus, and Mariana are hurt in a car accident. Stef tries not to show it, but we know she's really shaken up over it. She was called to the scene and saw the damage to the car and her babies first hand._

 _I also start to volunteer at a foster kid drop-in center, which qualifies for my independent study. I thought I did the right thing by letting a kid named AJ stay there for the night, but, he stole spray paint and took off, which got me fired. Moms still don't know about that._

 _Lo and behold, I see AJ again as he is put in juvie. Stef helps him with his charges and enlists Mike into fostering him._

 _I get my driver's license._

 _Jude and the rest of my family throw me a surprise seventeenth birthday party, complete with a bouncy castle, like I had when I was little. It was a great day._

 _Before I know it, my adoption day is here. Gram, Gramps, and Grandma fly in for the occasion, just as they had for the twins and Jude. Everyone dresses up for family court._

 _Moms pull me aside and reassure me that we're good to go. No more hoops to jump through._

 _Judge Ringer grants my adoption._

 ** _"Congratulations, Callie. You're officially a member of the Adams Foster family."_**

 _I'm in shock. Then, I grin. Moms hug me so tight. My first official 'mama sandwich,' as they like to say._

 _We party. There's smiles, laughter, tears, food, presents, so many hugs._

 _After almost seven years, I finally have a_ real _home._

 _Soon after, Stef tells me that AJ has run away. I'm scared for him._

 _A week later, AJ calls me._

 _I give Stef the number._

 ** _"Well, hopefully, we'll trace this back to an address and, um, and then, we go get him."_**

 _At school, Brandon and I have a private conversation._

 ** _"Mom and my dad think that Ty was the one driving the car that hit Ana and the twins, which means AJ is helping a criminal. So, if they find him with Ty, he could get in a lot more trouble than for just running away."_**

 _It turns out that AJ's in Arizona with his brother, Ty. And that he's the driver that hit Ana, Jesus, and Mariana. He heard Mike talking, who confirmed it._

 _When Stef returns, I find out that she had AJ arrested. I thought she was just going to bring him back. I'm pissed. I trusted her._

 ** _"I should've never said anything."_**

 _AJ's gonna hate me._

 _He does. I'm not on his visitor list in juvie. Neither is Mike._

 ** _"I told you where AJ was because I thought I was talking to my mother, not a cop. Obviously, there's no difference."_**

 _I stomped upstairs. I was mad. I didn't care about my attitude, my tone, what I'd said._

 _Until Moms sat us all down in the living room. Family meeting._

 _Mom has Stage 0 breast cancer, DCIS, and she's having a preventative double mastectomy so it has no chance of becoming cancer._

 _We're all shocked._

 _But, we just want to help. Do our part._

 ** _"Stay close. That would be great because I think, um, you know, being together as a family, that's probably more healing than any medicine."_**

 _We all hug and soon, it's time for bed._

 _Mariana and I spent some time researching Mom's surgery and what will be done._

 _We're trying to understand what's happening._

 _We try to sleep, but no one can, understandably._

 _And so begins my severe bout of insomnia._

Suddenly, I jerk awake. It's dark. Someone's touching my face.

"It's okay, Callie. You're okay," a soft voice assures me.

"Lena...?" I croak.

"You went on quite the run today. We just wanted to make sure the rain didn't make you sick. Your temp's normal."

I swallow. "What time is it?"

"After ten."

"At night?"

"You slept all day."

I move to get up and realize my headache is _still_ hanging around. Ugh.

Lena follows me downstairs and I immediately go to the kitchen for water. I down two glasses and go back the way I came, my foot hitting the first step.

"Callie, wait."

Stef's voice stops me dead in my tracks. Maybe it's the cold water I just drank, but my stomach feels heavy. I want to throw up.

"Not now," I say in a low voice, trying my hardest not to explode right then.

"We need to talk."

It's not working. I quickly feel myself bristling, buckling under the weight of stress. "I said that I can't do this now. Or are you not only sick, you're deaf, too?" I spit, before I can stop myself.

" _Callie Quinn Adams Foster!_ Apologize to your mother right now!" Lena orders me sharply.

I tense up even more. She's never yelled at me before.

"It's alright, Lena." Stef is calm. "Callie, please come in here."

I'm already on thin ice, so, I turn around and do what Stef says, stepping down in to the living room. I still don't look at her.

"I know you're scared," she starts. "I am, too. I wish this wasn't happening."

"I'm not scared!" I inform her loudly, looking directly at her for the first time. We're a mere few feet apart. Lena has taken a seat on the couch.

"You're not?"

"No! Yes. But...that's not why..." I'm stumbling back over my words.

"That's not why you took off?"

"You can tell us, Callie. It's okay."

I hate Lena. I love and hate her all at once. She's so damn warm and gentle and makes me want to tell her every fear I've ever had. And I know that she'd listen.

"I'm mad," I mutter, looking down at my feet.

"That I'm sick?"

"At you," I correct her. "I'm mad at you."

"Why?"

"Because of Ty and AJ. I thought you were just going to bring him home. I trusted you and look what happened. AJ's in juvie because of me."

"Love, AJ knew what he was doing. He chose to run away. He didn't have to."

She doesn't get it. I shake my head. It's still pounding.

"I'm mad at you for that and I feel like I'm not allowed to be because you're sick and I'm officially the worst," I confess in one breath, before I give myself a chance to chicken out.

There it is. It's out. I can't take it back, even if I wanted to.

No one's saying anything.

Maybe if I wish hard enough, the ground I'm standing on will open up and swallow me whole.

This silence is unbearable.

"You're allowed to be mad at me, Callie, cancer or no cancer."

"No, I'm not!" I insist angrily.

"Callie, use your words," Lena says evenly.

I exhale sharply in an attempt to calm myself down, but, my emotions are still in overdrive. "The last time I was mad, my mom died!"

 _"Are you mad?"_

 _I shrug._

 _"Don't be like that. We won't be long."_

"What happened to your mom was not your fault. She knew you loved her. You know that," Stef reminds me.

"Everyone I love goes away! I loved her and she died, I loved Donald and he didn't try to get me and Jude back, and I l-love you...and..."

I cover my face with my hands, taking deep breaths.

"Callie, I am not going anywhere. Not for a long, _long_ time."

"No!" I refute immediately, with angry tears running down my face and overwhelming my voice. "You can't promise me that! Don't do that to me! You don't know what will happen!"

"You're right," Stef exhales after a moment, her own words wavering with emotion. "You're right. I'm sorry. As much as I want to, I can't give anyone any guarantees about this. I don't want you to be scared."

"But, I _am_ scared and I _am_ mad that this is happening to you. To us."

"I know." She shares a glance with Lena that I don't have time to dissect. "It's okay to be scared."

"I don't understand...w-why..."

"I don't, either."

"We need you. If s-something happened..."

"Callie, _please_ don't think like that. Come here."

I can't get to Stef fast enough. I latch on so hard that she's forced to take a step back.

I'm totally ugly-sobbing into her shirt. I couldn't care less.

She's here and alive and I'm hugging her and that's all that matters.

She's smoothing my back and kissing my hair. I feel her warm breath in my ear. "Let it all out, love. I know how hard all of that was for you to say. I'm so proud of you. I love you so much."

"I-I'm sorry."

"For what, baby?"

"About AJ. I didn't m-mean it."

"There's nothing to forgive. The others have said way worse, trust me."

"L-love you, Mom," I choke out.

I don't see the teary smile that she gives Lena over my shoulder. If it were possible, she hugs me tighter.

"We're gonna get through this together, remember? As a family. That I _can_ promise you."

I nod into her shirt. I can't stop a whimper from escaping.

"Callie? What is it?"

I pull out of her embrace and look at my feet. "My head...it's killing me."

"How long?" Lena asks and I'm not surprised. She knows headaches. She gets terrible migraines that leave her nauseated and bedridden.

I glance to her. "Yesterday."

"You haven't slept and you haven't eaten. It's taking its toll," she says as fact and goes upstairs.

Mom leads me to the couch, wrapping an arm around me as I wipe off my face and use a Kleenex.

Soon enough, Lena returns.

"Here. Take these." She's holding two gel caps and a glass of water. Her Excedrin, her first line of defense before she has to tap into her bottle of prescription meds.

I chase down the pills and drain the glass, setting it down on the coffee table. "Thanks."

"Sure, honey."

The three of us lapse in to silence. I'm not really sure what to do now. I run a hand over my face.

"I think I'll just go back up to bed, if that's okay."

"Alright, love. Sleep well." Mom hugs me to her side and kisses my head.

I stand up to hug Lena. "Good night."

"Good night, bug."

I leave them downstairs and make my way back to my room.

For the first time in four days, I head into Sunday with a new feeling.

Hope.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **A/N:** Giving myself a pat on the back. I'm really proud of this work. Thanks so much for reading, everyone. Next on my list is updating/finishing _Stuck in Reverse_ and posting the second Jude chapter for _Sickfic_. I haven't forgotten about those. There are more things coming on the horizon. Stay tuned, and thanks again. Cheers.


End file.
